THE INAUGURAL
MASTERS OBEDIENCE
CHAMPIONSHIP AT WESTMINSTER
Obedience Premium List Details:
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The Westminster Obedience Championship presented by Purina Pro Plan, will be an AKC
Special Attraction.
This event will be held on Monday, February 15, 2016 at Pier 94, located at 711 12th Ave. in
New York City.
Ms. Sharon Redmer of Whitmore Lake MI will judge this event.
This trial will be by invitation only.
The Top 150 ranked Obedience dogs will be invited to enter.
Dogs that are listed in the AKC Canine Partners Program will be eligible to compete if
qualified.
The Top 150 will be determined by the AKC ranking of those dogs receiving the most OTCH
points only at AKC Obedience Trials held from January 1, 2015 through October 31, 2015
inclusive. In the case of a tie all qualifying dogs are invited.
A listing of the Top 150 Invitees will be posted on westminsterkennelclub.org and
infodog.com as soon as final stats are received from AKC and processed.
You do NOT need to wait to receive the Invitation in order to submit your entry. Entries for an
invited Obedience dog may be sent as soon as the list is posted or beginning Monday,
November 16, 2015, whichever is earliest. Entries sent prior to that time will be returned.
ENTRIES CLOSE at 3:00 P.M. (E.S.T.), Friday, December 4, 2015 or when the maximum number
of 35 invited Obedience dogs has been reached, if reached before 3:00 P.M. (E.S.T.),
December 4, 2015.
A Memento Certificate acknowledging the Top 150 status qualifying the dog's eligibility to be
invited to pre-enter, along with a pre-printed entry form and addressed return envelope, will
be sent in mid-November via regular First Class Mail to the owner at the address on file with
our Superintendent.
Please follow the instructions on the reverse of the pre-printed entry form. No entry will be
accepted that requires a signature for delivery.
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Entries may be submitted via any traditional postal service that will deliver to a P.O. Box and
does not require a signature for delivery. Fax, Dial-N-Entry, infodog.com, courier, walk-ins, or
entries handed in at shows are NOT acceptable or permitted. Entries must be received no
later than 3:00 P.M. (E.S.T.), Friday, December 4, 2015. ENTRIES SUBMITTED TO ANY OTHER
ADDRESS WILL BE RETURNED WITH NO RECOURSE.
FED EX AND UPS WILL NOT SHIP TO A PO BOX. IF YOU WISH TO OVERNIGHT YOUR ENTRY,
YOU MUST USE THE US POSTAL SERVICE. HAND DELIVERIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Entries will be mailed to:
The Director of Companion Events
The Westminster Kennel Club
P.O. Box 574
Center Moriches N.Y. 11934
BITCHES IN SEASON are not eligible to participate. Refund of entry fee for bitches entered in
Obedience that come in season after the closing date of this show may be obtained by
providing written verification from a veterinarian to the superintendent which must be
RECEIVED by the superintendent PRIOR to the opening hour of the show. A copy of the
Veterinarian's certification AND a copy of the final confirmation of the dog's entry MUST
accompany any such request for a refund. The club will retain a $10.00 processing fee.
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Duplicate entries will not be refunded and the proceeds will be donated to charity.
Please note: Equipment will be standard AKC regulation obstacles, but may not be AKC
standard colors.
Ring Size will be 40’ X 50’
Only one entry per envelope will be accepted.
NOTE: The dog winning The Masters Obedience Championship will be required to be benched
at Madison Square Garden Monday evening, February 15, 2016 beginning at 5:00 P.M. and
may be released from the show following the Trophy Presentation in the Group Ring at MSG.
Once entries have closed participating exhibitors will be sent the Exhibitor Performance
Profile document to complete and return. This document is necessary should you and your
dog advance to the Final Round.
OBEDIENCE TROPHIES AND RIBBON PRIZES
Mr. Thomas H. Bradley, 3d, offers the Luftnase Cup, an Antique Sterling Silver Trophy, to the
Winner of The Masters Obedience Championship. For permanent possession to be won three
times by the same ownership. A Polished Pewter Pedestal Bowl, will be offered to
commemorate the win. Purple and Gold Rosette offered by The Westminster Kennel Club.
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Second through Fourth Place in Final Competition: Rosette offered by The Westminster
Kennel Club.
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Purple and Gold Rosettes will be awarded to the 10 finalists from the preliminary round,
offered by The Westminster Kennel Club.
Scoring
The First Round Competition will consist of the following Regular Class Open/Utility obedience exercises:
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Signal Exercise - 40 points
Drop on Recall - 30 points
Directed Jumping – 20 points (One jump will be used, – judges choice, same
jump for all dogs)
Retrieve over High Jump - 30 points
Scent Discrimination – 20 points (One article will be retrieved, handlers choice
as to type of article to retrieve i.e. leather, metal, or wood)
Group Sit Stay Exercise – 30 points
The dogs will be judged in jump height order, low to high.
The order of the individual exercises will be determined by the judge and posted no later than
45 minutes prior to the start of the event. All dogs will complete the exercises in the order
posted.
The Group Exercise will be done at the conclusion of the individual judging of all of the dogs.
Group Exercise Format:
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The number of dogs entered will be split respectively in half.
Handlers and their dogs will line up in the approximate center of the ring; nine
dogs facing one direction, the other nine or eight dogs facing the other way.
There will be approximately 6-feet between the two rows with 4-feet between
dogs on either side.
The Judge will order the handlers “Sit your dogs”, then “Leave your dogs”.
The handlers will walk forward to the edge of the ring; proceed in the direction
designated by the steward, and walk around the ring twice before stopping in
front of their dog. The judge will order, “Back to your dogs.” Once the
handlers have returned to heel position the judge will order, “Exercise
Finished.”
First Round Scoring will be as it is in the Regular Open and Utility Classes except that a non-qualifying exercise
will be assessed the total points off for that exercise rather than given an “NQ.”
Once all the dogs are judged and the group exercises complete all scores will be tabulated to determine the
Final 10. If there is a tie for 10th place there will be a run off to determine which team moves onto the Final 10.
Once the Final 10 has been determined they will be announced and run order will be determined prior to the
lunch break.
The FINALS Competition will take place after the lunch break.
FINALS: 10 teams competing
This performance routine should be designed to showcase the broad spectrum of obedience
at its ultimate finest!
 Each handler is allowed a maximum of 6 minutes ring time to perform.
 Finals Performance: The dog and handler will perform a routine designed by
the handler. The performance routine will include Required and Elective
Elements (see details below.) The order in which the elements are done is
entirely up to the handler. Ring stewards will only be available to reset the
jumps between teams. The handler may provide their own assistant(s) for any
other tasks. The judge will be inside the ring to evaluate the performance but
will not call any orders. Each team will be called into the ring individually. The
judge will ask, “Are you ready?” followed by “You may begin.” Timing will start
immediately. At the conclusion of the performance the handler must give a
clear indication to the judge that the performance is complete. Timing of the
performance will stop. The judge will say “Thank you” and the team will exit
the ring.
 Required Elements: The dog must demonstrate the ability to do each of the
Required Elements:
o Heel Work: minimum requirements, in any order: left turn, right turn,
about turn, slow, fast normal and halt. Any additional turns,
maneuvers are the handlers’ option and may be listed as an Elective
element.
o Jump - any regular class jump may be used, minimum regular class
jump height required.
o Retrieve - handler’s choice as to what the retrieve item is. It may be
an obedience item, toy, etc.
o Go Out – standard utility go out as explained in the directed jumping
exercise. The handler may return to the dog by returning to heel
position or combine the Go Out with any other exercise.
Any of the required elements listed above may be combined and or repeated.
In addition to the Required Elements listed above the team will perform two
of the three Elective Elements described in the Exhibitor Performance Profile
Form Elective Element guidelines:
 Both dog and handler and props must remain inside the ring.
 Available standard equipment provided will be a bar jump,
high jump, broad jump and a chair. Any other props must be
supplied by the handler.
 Handlers may use obedience exercises, combinations of
exercises, tricks, dance moves etc.
 Exhibitors must be cognizant that this is a family event.
Performances must be appropriate for family viewing.
 No pyrotechnics or anything that requires ring clean-up
between performances. No food in the ring. No music will be
allowed.
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Elective elements are to be chosen by the exhibitor. Exhibitors
have the flexibility to create their own routines.
SCORING OF THE FINAL ROUND: Teams will earn points in each of the
categories listed below. Each category is worth twenty-five points. A one
point penalty will be assessed for each second over time
o TEAMWORK: Dog and handler working together as one. The
appearance of oneness when they are together or separate
throughout the performance. There is a clear spirit of cooperation,
connection and harmony.
o DOG’S WILLINGNESS & ENJOYMENT: Responsiveness, joy, harmony,
honor and trust
o TECHNICAL EXECUTION: Accuracy, flow and smoothness of both
required and elective elements. The manner and style in which the
elements are performed. Coordinated effort and ability.
o PERFORMANCE CREATIVITY: Uniqueness of design and presentation.
FINAL Result Scores will be based on cumulative totals from both rounds of competition. Results will be
posted at the conclusion of the event after the awards ceremony.
PRESENTED BY